Method and apparatus for a family center

Abstract

A family center system and method is provided that allows receiving from a registered family member a family message intended for other registered family members and determines, based on a set of rules, to which of other registered family members to push the family message, mode of transport by which to push the family message, and the schedule according to which to push the family message. A technique involving a tile is provided that allows displaying a unified view of information onto a plurality of registered devices, regardless of device platform and/or communications network. The system and method provides a variety of services to registered family members and allows third party application plug-in for offering third party services. The system and method receives a SMS message and stores such message as a family message for subsequent access or family message treatment.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for delivery of family messages, network services, or third party application services that is independent of mode of transport and device platform, comprising:
 a first application programming interface (API) from a set of one or more APIs that is used to receive a family message from a first device of a set of two or more devices; 
 a family message handling component that receives said family message and that determines based on said family message, rules data, and family data:
 a second device of said two or more devices to which to send said family message, wherein said second device is different from said first device; 
 a schedule in accordance with which to send said family message; and 
 a second application programming interfaces (APIs) from a set of one or more APIs by which to send said family message, wherein said second API sends said family message to said second device; and 
 
 a family center storing component that is coupled to a database that stores said family data and stores a copy of said family message. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a tile handler that (a) determines when and how to send one or more tiles to a client application that is associated with said second device and (b) sends said one or more tiles to said client application for display on said client application, wherein said one or more tiles are interactive. 
 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said family message is displayed within a tile of said one or more tiles. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said second API is any of:
 a family message protocol that is used to send said family message to a client application that displays said family message within a tile; 
 Short Message Service (SMS) that is used to send said family message when said second device is a standard mobile phone; and 
 Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) that is used when said second device is a SIP-enabled device. 
 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said tile handler (a) receives a particular API from a third party application, (b) based in part on content that is contained in said particular API creates a particular data structure, and (c) sends said particular data structure to said client application which causes said client application to display said content in a tile of said one or more tiles. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more network service components, each of which provide a network service to said second device; 
 wherein at least one of said network services is displayed within a tile that is within a client application that is associated with said second device. 
 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein any of said network services is voice mail, SMS, address book, local directory search, email, calendar, and tasks. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein a tile of said one or more tiles has a relative priority as compared to other tiles of said one or more tiles, wherein said priority causes said tile to be displayed in a particular order as compared to a displayed order of said other tiles. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein clicking a tile of said one or more tiles causes an event associated with said click to be tracked. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein a tile of said one or more tiles comprises an executable program and wherein in response to clicking said tile, said executable program is executed. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said family message from a first device is an SMS message comprising message body and data reflecting a telephone network (TN), and wherein said family message handling component compares said data reflecting said TN to data of groups of families and when a match is found sends said message body only to members of said matched group. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said set of two or more devices is registered as a family with said family center storing component, wherein said registration is reflected in said family data and wherein a family contains two or more family members that are each associated with two or more users and that are each associated with one or more of said two or more devices; 
 said rules data and family data indicate personal preferences for each of said two or more family members and indicate type of device for each of said two or more devices; 
 said family message is intended for each family member that is not the family member that created said family message; and 
 said schedule indicates an order of said two or more family members in which to send said family message and a time at which to send said family message to each of said two or more family members. 
 
     
     
       13. A method for delivery of family messages, network services, or third party application services that is independent of mode of transport and device platform, comprising the steps of:
 using a first application programming interface (API) from a set of one or more APIs to receive a family message from a first device of a set of two or more devices; 
 receiving, at a family message handling component, said family message and, based on said family message, rules data, and family data, determining:
 a second device of said two or more devices to which to send said family message, wherein said second device is different from said first device; 
 a schedule in accordance with which to send said family message; and 
 a second application programming interfaces (APIs) from a set of one or more APIs by which to send said family message, wherein said second API sends said family message to said second device; and 
 
 storing, at a family center storing component that is coupled to a database, said family data and stores a copy of said family message. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of:
 determining, by a tile handler, when and how one or more tiles are to be sent to a client application that is associated with said second device; and 
 sending said one or more tiles to said client application for display on said client application; 
 wherein said one or more tiles are interactive. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein said family message is displayed within a tile of said one or more tiles. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 13 , wherein said second API is any of:
 a family message protocol that is used to send said family message to a client application that displays said family message within a tile; 
 Short Message Service (SMS) that is used to send said family message when said second device is a standard mobile phone; and 
 Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) that is used when said second device is a SIP-enabled device. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , wherein said tile handler further comprises the steps of:
 receiving a particular API from a third party application; 
 based in part on content that is contained in said particular API, creating a particular data structure; and 
 sending said particular data structure to said client application which causes said client application to display said content in a tile of said one or more tiles. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of:
 providing, by each of one or more network service components, a network service to said second device; 
 wherein at least one of said network services is displayed within a tile that is within a client application that is associated with said second device. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein any of said network services is voice mail, SMS, address book, local directory search, email, calendar, and tasks. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 14 , wherein a tile of said one or more tiles has a relative priority as compared to other tiles of said one or more tiles, wherein said priority causes said tile to be displayed in a particular order as compared to a displayed order of said other tiles. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 14 , wherein clicking a tile of said one or more tiles causes an event associated with said click to be tracked. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 14 , wherein a tile of said one or more tiles comprises an executable program and wherein in response to clicking said tile, said executable program is executed. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 13 , wherein said family message from a first device is an SMS message comprising message body and data reflecting a telephone network (TN), and wherein said family message handling component compares said data reflecting said TN to data of groups of families and when a match is found sends said message body only to members of said matched group. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 said set of two or more devices is registered as a family with said family center storing component, wherein said registration is reflected in said family data and wherein a family contains two or more family members that are each associated with two or more users and that are each associated with one or more of said two or more devices; 
 said rules data and family data indicate personal preferences for each of said two or more family members and indicate type of device for each of said two or more devices; 
 said family message is intended for each family member that is not the family member that created said family message; and 
 said schedule indicates an order of said two or more family members in which to send said family message and a time at which to send said family message to each of said two or more family members.